Cal Lutheran women's volleyball team earns spot in Elite Eight

Courtesy of Tracy Maple/CLU Athletics
As her teammates watch from the bench, Kylie McLogan digs a ball during Cal Lutheran's 3-1 victory over host Trinity on Sunday that secured a berth into the NCAA Division III Elite Eight.

The Cal Lutheran women’s volleyball team was a bit irritated by the lack of respect it received in the playoffs.

Rather than hosting a regional, the third-ranked Regals were sent on the road to play on the home court of a lower-ranked team.

They knew the only way to earn credibility from any remaining doubters was to keep winning.

For the second time in three years, CLU clinched a berth into the Elite Eight with a 16-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-23 victory over host Trinity University on Sunday afternoon in the NCAA Division III regional final in San Antonio.

CLU (33-1) advances to play 22nd-ranked Clarkson University (N.Y.) on Thursday in Holland, Mich.

“It’s amazing. Every time it happens I thank God because it’s so special and so incredibly hard to get to this point,” CLU head coach Kellee Roesel said. “I appreciate it even more now because it has been a long, hard road and we’ve had a target on our back the entire season. But these kids brought it every single night.”

CLU had to fight back from an early deficit in front of a hostile crowd to extend its season.

The Regals fell into a large hole early as 14th-ranked Trinity (36-7) capitalized on CLU errors and played strong defense for a 10-2 lead in the first set.

The Tigers remained in control and clinched the set when Erin Cusenbary hammered down a kill.

Trinity carried the momentum into the second set, jumping to a 6-0 lead as CLU continued to struggle with errors.

But CLU rallied to take its first lead of the match at 11-10 on a kill by Kylie McLogan. Allie Eason sparked the offensive surge by serving eight straight points in the 9-0 run to extend CLU’s advantage to 14-10.

CLU remained in front and evened the match at a set apiece on an ace by Eason.

“We came out and were playing pretty nervous and worrying a little too much about what the other team was doing,” said Eason, a Buena High graduate. “I think after we settled down we started playing better and never gave up. Our team never stops working for each other no matter how far down we are in matches.”

CLU flipped the script in the third set, taking an early 5-1 lead. Trinity came back to tie the set at 10, and the teams went back and forth until CLU pulled away late and won the set on a kill by Eason.

CLU fell behind 5-1 in the fourth set, and Trinity eventually stretched its lead to 15-9.

But CLU gradually rallied to take a 22-21 lead on a great stretching dig by McLogan that went over the net and landed in the back corner.

Eason gave CLU match point with a kill, and secured CLU’s spot in the Elite Eight with another kill off a bad pass by Trinity.

“Our kids absolutely shined with their backs against the wall and all the fans going nuts here,” Roesel said. “All year long I knew they would come through when it matters. They learn from early mistakes and hit the ball or make the block and dig when it matters. I am extremely proud of them for that ability.”

McLogan was named the regional Most Valuable Player while Eason and Russell earned all-tournament honors.

CLU won’t be the only local representative in the Elite Eight. UMass-Boston senior outside hitter Amber Clemons, a Simi Valley High graduate, helped her team punch its ticket.

The winner of the CLU-Clarkson match would play either UMass-Boston or Calvin in the Final Four.

CLU only had a short time to celebrate its regional victory before starting to prepare for future tests — both on and off the court.

“We fly back tonight and have school tomorrow. It’s back to real life for a little while,” Eason said. “It’s going to be a quick turnaround, but we are just so excited to keep playing. I don’t really think it has settled in yet what we have done.”